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THE 



LEWIS BOYS 



;^ade tiie pariri Pay. 



'^O^SHis/aiXTS 







iNDiANAPOLIS: 

J. J. W. BILLINGSLEY, Publisher, 

1886. 











COPYRIGHT, 18K6, 

BY 

.1. J. W. BILLINGSLEY, 

iXDIANAPOLIS. 






How the Lewis Boys Made the Farm Pay. 

CHAPTER I. 

A CONSULTATION. 

It was a dark day for the Lewis family when they re- 
turned from performing the last sad rites connected with 
the burial of the husband and father. The mother and four 
children were left without a counselor and natural helper to 
fight the battle of life, which, with the temptations and 
business difficulties which are always besetting men, became 
. a contest of no slight import to the young people of our 
time. 

Only a year before this event, Abram Lewis had held 
an important position in a zinc-smelting establ -t lo- 

cated in a large city in Northern Illinois ; and was giving 
his family the usual comforts and privileges which a man 
with a liberal salary was able to bestow. A service of some 
years in this establishment had seriously impaired his health, 
and he saw that he must at once relinquish his position 
.nd seek other employment. He accordingly purchased a 
tarm of eighty acres, located about five miles from the city, 
ad moved upon it the following spring, expecting that 
f ith the aid of the two boys, who were nineteen and seven- 



HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 



teen years old respectively, he would be able to cultivate the 
farm profitably and perhaps regain his health. But the 
-disease which had fastened upon him before leaving the 
•city, retained its hold in spite of wholesome country air and 
exercise, and before the summer harvests were gathered he 
was a helpless invalid. 

The boys worked faithfully during the summer, being 
often obliged, however, from lack of knowledge and expe- 
rien<}e in farming, to watch their neighbors and, in a meas- 
ure, imitate their operations. The care and work attending 
the illness of their father also interfered with their farm 
work, and on the whole, their first year's work was anything 
but encouraging. The neighbors sometimes volunteered 
kindly advice, but more often ominously shook their heads, 
and passed words among themselves to the effect that there 
was no use of those city boys attempting to make a living 
by farming. 

Now, in mid-winter, the father had passed away, and 
the family was left with an eighty-acre farm upon which 
there was a debt of nine hundred dollars. What should they 
do? was the question uppermost in the mind of each at 
the opening of our narative. 

"We had better sell the farm and stock and go back to the 
city," said James, the younger of the boys. "George and 1 
can get something to do for which we are better fitted than 
digging on this poor farm. The land is wet, the barns and 
fences out of repair, and we have scarcely made a living 
during the past year. How can we ever expect to make 
repairs and pay off the debt ? " 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 



"For my part," said George, "I don't think much of the 
city. I've had enough of it, and do not share your hope of 
getting lucrative employment. The times are hard and the 
places that we are fitted for are full, and plenty of idle boys 
waiting to fill any vacancies that may occur. I think that 
we have learned something about farming this year, even if 
we have made no money, and we certainly can do better 
another year. Besides, we have this farm and the stock 
upon it, which will not now bring at a forced sale as much 
as lather paid for it. 'A bird in the hand is worth two in 
the bush,' I've read, and I believe we had better stick to 
the farm. What do you think, mother ? " 

"My opinion is," said Mrs. Lewis, ''that if you and James 
will be contented and take up the business with a will, we 
had better stay on the farm. You will have many things 
to learn, though the experience already gained will save 
you from a repetition of the mistakes made this year. 
You both have a good business education, and your younger 
sisters, Nellie and Alice, can attend the district school with 
profit for some time yet. We can live here comfortably and 
happily, and if you succeed with the farm, we can in time 
pay off" the debt." 

''I am contented enough," said James, "and I like to work 
well enough, but I want to make money by working. 
There's no fun in work unless it pays something." 

James was impulsive, ambitious, and in regard to work, 
much like a colt beginning to plow, always ready to pull 
as long as everything moves easily, but easily disheartened 
at difficulties. 



HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 



A knock was heard at the door, and Uncle John came in. 
He was one of those uncles which almost every neighbor- 
hood has, one whose age and experience had given a fund 
of wisdom of which all were ready to avail themselves. 
He was privileged in the matter of giving advice, censure 
and commendation. While in some things he was more 
conservative than the spirit of the times approved, yet, he 
was a safe counselor, and the family were glad to have him 
drop in at this opportune time. Many times during the 
past summer had the boys seen Uncle John slowly walking 
across the farm, cane in hand, towards the distant field in 
which they were working. He never left without giving 
them some practical instruction. Uncle John liked to en- 
courage steady, industrious boys, and he thought he saw 
these qualities in George and James, as he had watched 
them at various times during the season. 

"Well boys," began Uncle John, as he seated himself in 
the chair offered him by little Alice, "what have you con- 
cluded to do? Your father has gone the way of all the 
earth, and you must fill his place in the family as best you 
can." 

"We think, Uncle John," said Mrs. Lewis, as the boys 
hesitated, "that we will stay on the farm. The boys think 
that they can succeed at that better than to attempt any- 
thing in the city." 

"Very sensible, very sensible," replied the old man, as he 
leaned forward and with his cane slowly pushed a fugitive 
lump of coal toward the hearth, "Nothin's made by changin' 
'round. If ye can make a sort o'decent livin', stick where 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 5 

you air, and kinder improve and build up. It's slow work 
improvin' a farm, but there ain't nothin' that pays a surer 
profit, Now, ye might go West and get land cheap, but as 
long as you've got a fair sort o' farm here, I don't think 
you'd make nothin' by the change." 

"But the land is so wet. Some of it didn't raise anything 
last year," said James, "and some of it plowed in the spring 
like, a bag of wool, and some of it was as soft as mush in the 
spring, and as hard as a board in the summer. I dou't see 
how we can bring any good out of such land." 

The impetuous James was quick to observe the weak points 
of the farm, and their bearing upon the money-making qual- 
ities. 

"Well now, boys," said the old man, "when you've got 
such land as that, I suppose you've got to drain it afore it'll 
do you much good. I never took much stock in this drain- 
in' business until lately. I alius thought that what drainin 
Natur' wanted done to her land, she'd do it herself. I found 
out arter a spell that it seemed to suit Natur' well enough 
without any more drainin', but if man wanted to cultivate 
the land Natur' didn't object to his breaking the sod and 
drainin' the sile, so as to make his work more profitable." 

"Now there was 'my son Clem : He got it into his head that 
he must drain that south lot ; he'd read suthin' about drain- 
in' somewhere I believe. 1 told him 'twant no use. 
'Twouldn't amount to nothin'. The Almighty had made 
that south lot wet land, and he'd better quit foolin' with it. 
But he wanted to do it — he was always ruther contrary, so 
1 told him to go ahead and learn by experience, if he 



HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 



wouldn't learn any other way. I declare to goodness if we 
ain't had a good crop oif of that flat every year since it was 
drained. Since then, I've had considerable faith in drainin' 
wet land. That's what you'll have to do boys ; or it won't 
pay you to work some o' that wet land o' yours. 'Tain't so 
very new either, this drainin' work, as I found out since. 
We sometimes think a thing is new because we never saw 
it nor tried it." 

The boys looked interested, surprised and not a little mys- 
tified. They knew nothing of drainage, except as they had 
heard it mentioned occasionally by the neighbors, and then 
it appeared to them as a far-off impractical thing. 

'*But about the repairing business of the farm ?" broke 
forth the irrepresible James. "We don't know how to fix 
fences or repair implements, and so everything will soon go 
to rack. We are about as ignorant as babies." 

"All a fellow needs is a little gumption. 'Twon't take ye 
long to learn to use tools so ye can knock together a gate 
and hang it, and patch up things generally so that they will 
look respectable like. Ye don't want to run to town every 
time ye break something. Learn to fix it yourself." 

"How can we learn ?" said James. 

The old man looked at James, then at his mother, and fi- 
nally bringing his cane down on the floor with a thump, 
said : "Look here ! I reckon you'll be quick to learn how 
to handle the tools. You come over to our farm, where we 
have a kind of a shop, and Clem will teach you. Clem's 
right handy with tools, and if you want to learn pretty bad, 
you can pick up a good many things by being with him a spell." 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 



"O thank you," said James; "I'll try it, and maybe we can 
yet learn to run the farm in fine style." 

George, the slower and steadier of the two had some in- 
ward misgivings as to the stability of his brother James 
purpose, but he offered no discouraging word. What had 
been said had merely started a train of thought in his mind^ 
from which plans might be developed and ultimately carried 
into execution. His naturally careful methods of thought 
and work were in his favor for filling the place of head work- 
er and thinker on the farm; and though he was young and 
inexperienced, he was ready to learn by precept, and quick 
in observation. 

Uncle John after a few more words of advice, left the fam- 
ily with clearer ideas of the course necessary to pursue. 
The boys, though they had no plans laid, were encouraged, 
and looked forward to their work with pleasure. 

Courage and pluck accomplish great things in the practi- 
cal affairs of life. 

CHAPTER 11. 



THE BOYS GO TO A FARMERS INSTITUTE. 

For several days after Uncle John's visit, the boys and 
the "little mother," as George sometimes called her, com- 
mented upon his advice, talked over their resources and can- 
vassed the value and probable income of what they had on 
hand. Happily there was no debt except the nine hundred 
dollars yet due upon the farm which, if the annual interest 
were paid would not mature for five years. 

James was enthusiastic over the prospect of learning farna 



HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 



mschanics. His first lesson in Clem's work-shop in no way 
dampened his ardor, but rather increased his desire to learn. 
The many useful things which James saw, all neatly made 
by his teacher, created in him a desire to equal them by the 
exercise of his own skill. He now spent a portion of each 
day with Clem, and was acquiring skill in the use of com- 
mon wood -working tools. 

Two weeks had passed, and James came to supper one 
evening with something concealed under his overcoat, an ex- 
pression of mingled pride and pleasure on his face. 

What are you holding under your coat?" called out Nellie 
''A little dog ? Let me see it quick !" 

"No; it's something for mother," replied James ; and be 
uncovered a neatly made box to be used in polishing table- 
knives. '*Here," explained he, "is the inclined block to lay 
the knives on when you rub them, here is the cork to rub 
them with, and here is the place for the scouring brick. All 
my own work, mother. I saw the plan and description of 
it in the 'Farmer.' " 

"Indeed," said the mother, taking the box and looking at 
it carefully, "You have done nicely, you are quite a mechan- 
ic. These joints are neatly made. I think we must get a 
few tools so that you can have a work shop at home." 

The box was examined in turn by George, Nellie and Alice, 
and as they sat down to the supper table, James entertained 
them with a description of some of Clem's work which he 
had seen, and assured them that he knew that he could do 
as well after he had practiced as long. The appreciation of 
the family had raised his hopes of success to the highest pitch. 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 



The skill to use tools does not in itself make a successful 
workman. There must be a certain amount of inventive 
genius combined with practical judgment, which must be so 
applied that the result of the work will serve the intended 
purpose. A structure may be well made, yet the adjustment 
and strength of the separate parts may be so ill suited to 
their office as to make the whole worthless. James had 
much more to learn than he supposed, yet, as good courage 
and enthusiasm are half the battle, he certainly was on the 
road to success. 

In the meantime George had been busy taking special care 
of the livestock, and studying carefully the back numbers of 
the ''Farmer," the agricultural paper his father had sub- 
scribed for the spring before. The "little mother" had 
looked them over and marked such items as she thought 
would be instructive, not failing to read many things herself 
that might eventually prove useful to her as commander-in- 
chief of the farm. 

One cold morning as George was about the barn a stran- 
ger drove into the yard. 

"Hello ! good morning," said the stranger, as he saw 
George emerge from the crib with a basket of corn. "Is this 
where the Lewis family lives ?" 

"Yes, sir;" replied George. "Come into the house and 
warm yourself, you must be cold." 

"Thank you, I'm not cold. My name is Allen. I heard 
that the boys here were young in the farming business, and 
go-ahead sort of fellows, and I thought I'd stop and tell you 
that we are going to hold a Farmers' Institute at Dempsy's 



lO HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 

Hall next week, and would like to have you attend. There'll 
be addresses and discussions upon subjects interesting to all 
of us farmers. You'll find the meeting an interesting one, 
and it'll be strange if you don't find it a profitable one to 
you in more ways than one. Be sure and come if you can." 

George thanked Mr. Allen and added that he and his 
brother would try and attend. He remembered having 
heard that Mr. Allen had been a member of the State Legis- 
lature, and was now a prominent farmer in an adjoining 
township. George felt flattered by a personal call from a 
man so much esteemed in the community, as well as pleased 
that he should have taken so much interest in them all as to 
invite him to a meeting of intelligent farmers. 

The time appointed for the meeting of the Institute found 
George and James at Dempsy Hall, which was in the village 
of Brooktown, about four miles distant from the Lewis farm. 
Mr. Allen introduced them to several farmers who were 
about the fire chatting familiarly upon current topics before 
the meeting was called to order. The boys came to listen 
and learn, and so merely, in answer to the questions of the 
farmers, told who they were, and where they lived, and what 
they wanted to do. 

The programme was full and the time well occupied by 
interesting papers and lectures. One address made by Mr. 
Allen upon <'The Young Farmers' Training" seemed just 
adapted to the needs of the boys at this time. 

"Don't think," said he, "that a school education makes a 
good farmer, even if that education is obtained at an agri- 
cultural college. It is only the foundation upon which a 



MADE THE FARM PAY. I F. 

practical farmer should build. I would rather risk the 
chances of success with the uneducated boy who has the fac- 
ulty of seizing upon and appropriating the information he^ 
may happen to pick up, than with the educated young man 
who cannot make use of his acquired knowledge. The bus- 
iness man's motto should be : 'Make the best use of what 
you have. ' Be thorough, be practical. Get all the education^ 
you can, but make use of it. Learn principles and apply 
them. Eead good books, be industrious, preserve your health,, 
and use both head and hands." 

"These were some of the points that George managed to 
take down in his note book, and which helped him remem- 
ber many other things said in connection with them. 

"What books relating to the farm would you recom- 
mend?" some one asked. 

"A few of the many good ones," replied Mr. Allen, "are * 

'Todd's Young Farmers' Manual,' 'The Soil of the Farm,' 

'Coburn's Swine Husbandry,' 'Downing's Rural Essays,' 

'Harris' Talks on Manures,' and 'Our Farmers' Account 
Book.' " 

The boys were invited to take dinner with Mr. Allen's 

family, only half a mile away. While waiting a few minutes 

for dinner to be announced they were entertained by a- 

daughter of the family ; to whom James soon began to relate 

some of his ludicrous experiences in learning the use of 
tools." 

"I tried a new project last year," said Miss Allen, "and 
succeeded very well." 
"You ! What was it ?" said James. 
"Starting plants in hot-beds," said the lady. "My broth- 



12 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 



«r made the frames and arranged the beds, and I attended 
to them after ttat, and sold the plants for early setting. I 
«old thirty dollars' worth of plants. The frames cost us only 
iive dollars, so that we got twenty -five dollars for our work, 
which, considering that most of it was girl's work, did very 
well ; at any rate that is what father says." 

"That's jolly," said James. "How do you make the beds 
and manage the work ?" 

Dinner was announced which cut short the description of 
the hot-bed which Mies Allen was about to give. 

"I'll find out more about that hot-bed business," thought 
James. "It strikes me that there is something in it. I'll 
ask that brother of hers about it if I get a chance." 

In the afternoon land drainage was one of the topics to 
be treated ; and as Uncle John's talk to the boys had excited 
their interest in this subject by telling them that if they 
wanted to make their farm pay they must drain it, they gave 
<;lose attention to what was said. 

The speaker who introduced the subject gave his own ex- 
perience in draining a wet part of his farm, together with 
-some of the details of the work, and the principles which 
govern the results. 

"There," thought George, "Mr. Durand's farm is much 
like ours. That talk hits our case exactly." 

"Mr. Chairman," said Uncle Dan Murry, a middle aged 
man in the back part of the hall, "I'd like to say something 
on this subject. I've farmed a good many years without any 
of this drainage stuff getting into my bill of fare ; and if 
anybody here has raised more corn and hogs than I have. 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 1$ 



or has made more money than I have, I'd like to see him. 
There are a good many things in this drainage business that 
I don't understand, and a good many things stated by th& 
gentleman who opened this subject that I don't believe. 
When I was a boy the old topers were accustomed to say 
that they drank whisky in summer to keep them cold and 
in winter to keep them warm ; but I know to-day, and so do- 
you, that its bosh. They wanted to drink and were bound 
to have it, that's all. You drainage folks talk about the way 
the topers did. You say that you drain in a wet time to 
make the soil dry, and in a dry time to make the soil moist. 
And then talk about a drained soil being warmer than a wet- 
one. May be you think I don't know anything about sci- 
ence. I know this : that black colored things draw the heat 
more than those of light color. A wet soil is blacker than 
a dry one and so draws the heat more and must be warmer. 

Why, in summer after a shower of rain has fallen upon 
a cornfield and the sun comes out warm again, that field will 
steam like a kettle of hot potatoes. That shows that the 
wet soil is drawing heat from the sun right into it. I tell 
3"0u you're all crazy on this drainage. You've been led 
around by the nose by the ditchers, dealers, tile makers, and 
I don't know who all, until you're all bent on digging your 
money into the ground instead of out of it. I believe in 
sticking to the old way." 

"Farmers don't all agree any more than other people," 
thought George. "I believe that I know enough about Nat- 
ural Philosophy to see where Uncle Dan is wrong and why 
Mr. Durand is right." 



J 4 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 

The number of farmers that rose to their feet ready to an- 
swer the statements of Mr. Murry and to add their observa- 
tion upon the subject soon showed that Uncle Dan was mis- 
taken in practice and science as he chose to call it. At least 
•George came to the conclusion that the weight ot evidence 
was in favor of draining wet land. 

That evening the boys recounted the events of the day to 
the "little mother" and sisters. Nor did James forget to re- 
late the conversation with Miss Allen about the hot-bed 
scheme, and how she had succeeded. 



CHAPTER III. 



PLANS AND DIFFICULTIES. 

The winter was soon gone and the early spring rains dis- 
pelled all traces of wintry fetters and gave promise of an- 
other seed time and harvest. The boys continued to occupy 
themselves busily with plans and work for the coming sea- 
son. James had now arranged a workshop in the barn and 
-evidences of his handiwork began to appear about the prem- 
ises. 

The plan that had been uppermost in George's mind since 
^he heard the discussions at the Farmer's Institute, was to 
drain their little farm, or at least to make a beginning. He 
well knew that they had but little money for any purpose 
and none with which to begin his cherished project. If he 
had only a hundred dollars he thought that he could make 
SL very good beginning. They had a fine colt which in an- 



MADE THE FARM PAY. I 5 

other year would make a good farm horse and a neighbor 
had offered a hundred dollars lor him. Should they sell? 
After a family consultation it was decided to sell the colt and 
invest the proceeds in the drainage. 

A brief description of the Lewis farm should here be giv- 
en in order that the reader may enter into, and understand, 
the project that our young friends were about to undertake. 
As before intimated, the farm contained 80 acres being in the 
usual form of Western farms of that size, one half mile long 
aud a quarter mile wide. The buildings were at the north 
end on the only public road that bordered it. It had always 
been called the *'flat eighty," and within the last twelve 
years had been owned by four different men and all of them 
had sold out and moved away poorer than when they came. 
Uncle John had told the boys. A depression or slough ex- 
tended the entire length of the eighty acres, through the 
center of which was a shallow, open ditch, cut there by some 
former owner but now nearly closed. This slough was the 
natural ou'.let for the drainage water of the entire farm and 
passed not far from the barn across the public road and dis- 
charged into a large ditch in a neighbor's farm ; connecting 
with this main and slough were side depressions or draws, 
leading from one or another pond and flat or sag. The farm 
was thus divided into small irregular fields which were cul- 
tivated at great disadvantage not only by reason of their 
smallness and irregular shape, but also because the so called 
dry land was often too wet for the growth of the common 
cereals. The soil was a rich, black, prairie loam and seemed 
to produce corn, oats and grass in great abundance, when in 



l6 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 

the proper condition. The subsoil was a retentive clay, so 
that the surplus water must pass off by surface drainage or 
by evaporation. 

George had gone down to the culvert at the road just after 
a spring rain and was watching the water of his farm pour 
through the culvert and then spread out over the fiat below 
on his neighbor's tarm. 

"Would a tile drain carry the water now coming off the 
farm?" thought he, "and if there were a drain there three 
feet below the surface where could the water be discharged ? 
i don't believe I know much about this business after all." 

As he was about to turn away he saw Mr. Allen riding 
toward him, and waited till he came within speaking dis- 
tance. "You're just the man I want most to see," said 
George, after the greetings were over; "We want to begin 
draining our farm this spring. The outlet for the whole, is 
this slough, which crosses the road here at this culvert. Now 
look at all of that water; how can it go through a com- 
mon tile, and if we had a tile drain in there where would the 
outlet be?" 

Mr. Allen looked up the slough and saw the sheet of wa- 
ter in the main channel and miniature lakes at irregular dis- 
tances, all of which must pass by them and on to a larger 
channel, 

"TTnderdrainage is much different from surface drainage 
like this," replied he. "In the first place it begins to re- 
move the water as soon as the soil about the drain is full ; 
while, when the open drain is used, the soil must be satur- 
ated to the surface before any flows away, and then water 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 1 7 

from distant fields begins to pour into the main channels, 
and as the ground everywhere is full, all further accumula- 
tions must press into and swell our little slough until it over- 
flows. Soil will take in a great deal of water and if we keep 
draining it away from the bottom it will take some time, in 
fact, longer than rains usually continue, to accumulate water 
enough to make a stream like this one now flowing through 
this culvert. About the outlet, it looks to me as though you 
will be obliged to negotiate with your neighbor and contin- 
ue the drain down to his big ditch. But I'll tell you what 
you had better do; you send for Camfield, our drainage en- 
gineer, at Brooktown, and he will make a survey of the farm, 
and tell you what tile to get and how and where you can get 
this outlet. It will cost you something, but it will be worth: 
to you many times what it costs." 

^'More food for thought," commented George as Mr. Allen 
rode on and left him still in the road looking over the farm 
and thinking of what had been said. While the difficulties 
of the work seemed greater, the necessity for draining could 
not be controverted although he had often been told that he 
had better let the farm go as it had gone for years past. 

A few days after the conversation with Mr. Allen, Mr. 
Cam^eld, in answer to George's message, was on the ground 
ready to make a survey with reference to the drainage capa- 
bilities of the farm. 

"Now," said George, '"1 suppose that you know all about 
this business of tile draining and I want full instructions as 
to the best way to drain this farm." 

The engineer was called set in his way and peculiar ; and 



1 8 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 



many said that he knew nothing but this branch of his pro- 
fession, so devotedly had he given himself to it. A G-erman 
by birth, a scholar in tastes, yet, withal, a practical man in 
his profession. 

Mr. Camfield quietly shook his head — "I'm not very 
rich," he replied, 'but I would give five hundred dollars if I 
knew all that there is to be known on the subject of tile 
■drainage. There's no branch of engineering science which 
IS so little subject to known mathematical rules and formulas 
as this, Various principles of natural science and applied 
mathematics, united with practical experience enter into and 
make up all there is known regarding land drainage. There 
may be some men who know all about it, but I confess that 
I don't." 

"Well, give us the best of what you do know," said 
George, "we have a hundred dollars to besjin with, and we 
want you to tell us the best use to make of it. James will 
act as your assistant, and it won't be like him if he don't 
ask you a good many questions ; I'm sure that I shall do so." 

Mr. Camfield set a stake near the center of the slough at 
the road fence ; then he and James, with a chain one hun- 
dred feet long, measured up the slough, setting a stake at 
each 500 feet, driving one flush with the surface and setting 
another by its side upon which was marked the number of 
feet from the point of beginning. Stakes were set at other 
places also, as, for instance, points to which other low land, 
ponds, and flats must be drained. The recent heavy rains, 
the flood water of which had passed ofl^, had left unmistaka- 
ble marks as to the natural course the water would take up- 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 1 9 

on the surface. With the marks before him our engineer 
could plan to a considerable extent the drains that would 
probably be needed, subject, of course, to subsequent inves- 
tigations. Stakes were set in this manner along the entire 
length of the slough, and at such other places as seemed de- 
sirable. 

"The next thing," said the surveyor, "is to find the eleva- 
tion ot these points marked by the stakes ; that is, to find 
how much higher or lower they are than the starting point. 
We will find that by using the level and target-rod." 

They then passed over the ground, taking the levels at 
each stake; Mr. Camfield taking the notes and making a 
sketch of the direction of the lines and locating the points 
by their relation to fences, fields, or other objects ; thus mak- 
ing a sketched map of the farm. The excellent instrument 
used by the surveyor enabled him to take levels in distant 
parts of the field with sufficient accuracy for esiimate pur- 
poses. 

"This," said the surveyor, in answer to James' question, 
"is a preliminary survey made for the purpose of deciding 
upon the best plan to pursue — the fall, length and number 
of drains ; size of tile, where to begin, etc. It is not to work 
by, but that from which a working plan may be made." 

After examining his notes carfally for a few minutes, Mr. 
Camfield said: "We can't get an outlet here at the fence, 
we must go down to that large ditch," pointing across the 
neigbor's field. 

"But that land don't belong to us," said James ; "that is 
Mr. Bell's farm." 



20 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 

"Can't help that. We must have our outlet there or we 
can't drain. Your neighbor's ditch will afford a good outlet 
for your tile and perhaps he will join you in putting in the 
drain as it will evidently benefit him considerably." 

"What are the results of your survey ?" said George, who 
seeing that the round of the farm had been made, had joined 
them. "What can we do with the 'flat eighty?' " 

"I'll tell you how the case stands," replied the engineer, 
"you can begin at Mr. Bell's ditch with a depth of 2 J feet, 
run 300 feet across Mr. Bell's field and 50 feet across the 
road, making 350 feet to your line, where we can obtain a 
depth of 3J feet for the drain. Up to this point we can have 
a grade of only IJ inches to 100 feet and 9-inch tile should 
be used. From the fence upward we can have a grade of 
2J inches per 100 feet for 1,000 feet, and for this distance 8-inch 
tile should be used. The upper part of the farm has more 
fall and all of the wet land can be drained into the main 
without serious difficulty. You see that the principle diffi- 
culty is right here at the outlet." 

"Wonder if neighbor Bell will object to having his land 
drained ?" said James. 

"I presume not," said George, "but it is hard enough to 
drain one's own land without being obliged to drain that of 
another. I'll call on Mr. Bell and see if I can make a trade 
with him about it. You may stake out about 1,200 feet of 
the main and fix it up ready for the ditchers, Mr. Camfield, 
and we will try and make a beginning soon. That will prob- 
ably be as much or more than we can do this spring." 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 21 



CHAPTER IV. 



A TILEMAKER GIVES SOME ADVICE. 



The line for the proposed drain was now determined upon. 
A flag pole was set just inside of the road fence, and anoth- 
er farther up the slough where Mr. Camneld thought best to 
make another angle in the lines; then, beginning at the out- 
let, stakes were set at every fifty feet of the line and num- 
bered in order from the place of beginning. Two stakes 
were used, as described in the preliminary survey, and were 
set on one side of the center of the drain. This was contin- 
ued for 1200 feet, after which levels were taken at each stake 
and from these, Mr. Camfield computed the grade and depth 
from each stake to the bottom of the drain, marking the lat- 
ter upon each stake in order. He also took the angles of 
the lin-es indicated by the flag poles, so that he might make 
a record and plat of it. By the time this was done, night 
was upoQ them, and he left promising that in a day or two 
he would send a plat or sketch of the work done that day. 

That evening at the supper table, the work was discussed. 
Like families on many other farms, the events of the day 
were rehearsed each evening; even the girls, Nellie and 
Alice, added much by their interesting accounts of school 
doings. It was acknowledged by all that upon the success 
of the farm depended their home and the advantages arising 
from securing a competence. It was of interest to all to 
know that 320 feet of a large drain must be made upon the 
land of another in order to secure for themselves the benefits 



22 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 

of drainage. An expense of forty dollars for this purpose 
would make a heavy draw upon their little fund. 

"I'll venture that Mr. Bell won't let us make a drain on 
his land at our own expense, even," said James. "I've heard 
that he is as obstinate as a mule, and don't believe in tile 
draining either. There's no use of young fellows like us 
trying to move him. If he does refuse, we are stuck on our 
draining, sure." 

"I'm going to see him at any rate," said George ; perhaps 
I can convert him on the subject." 

George found Mr. Bell at home that evening and soon 
made known the object of his call. He stated his plans 
briefly and for the purpose of drawing out Mr. Bell's views 
said : "Now, Mr. Bell, don't you think it is a good plan to 
make a start at draining that wet land of ours ?" 

"No. It won't amount to anything. It might be a good 
plan to open that old ditch a little, but this tiling business is 
all bosh. You'll just be throwing away your money. That 
big ditch of mine gives me all the drainage that I want." 

"But would not that three hundred feet of tile drain from 
our line to your ditch make dry land out of that flat, so that 
you could raise corn on it?" 

"Not a bit of it. I tell you that you may put all of that 
crockery stuff in the ground that you please, and the water 
will never get to it." 

"Everybody who has tried it says that it will, and that it 
will keep the land in nice condition to cultivate." 

"I don't care if they do. I know better. Some folks are 
always running after some new iangled thing and praising 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 23 



it to the skies, but they soon come back to the old way of 
doing things." 

''Don't you think that drain we want to put in would help 
you a little ? I feel sure that you can raise corn on that 
slough patch after we tile it and if so, you can aflbrd to help 
us with the work a little." 

"JSTo, couldn't think of doing anything about it." 

''Will you not then give us permission to put the drain 
through your land at our expense?" 

"Well I might. Guess I will. The land is of no value and 
never will be. You boys seem enterprising, but you are 
making a mistake by going into this tile business. It'll 
come out like the Norway oat business or the Cashmere 
goat speculation. Yes, go ahead, if you think it will do you 
any good." 

"Not a very gracious consent," thought George, "but it is 
as well as I had reason to expect." 

The next day, George and James started with their teams 
for the Brookton Tile Factory to make a bargain for their 
supply of tile and to bring home as many as the state of the 
roads would permit. Mr. Allen had said in answer to 
George's inquiry that the best of drain tile could be obtained 
at this factory, which was the reason they proposed to pat- 
ronize it rather than the factory nearer their farm. 

"Three hundred and fifty nine-inch tile," repeated Mr. 
Dennis, the proprietor, as the boys were making known 
their wants. "You start out with pretty large tile. Most 
men call for 3-inch tile when they come here for their first 
lot." 



24 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 

"Mr. Camfield said we ought to use 9-inch and 8-inch for 
a part of our main and we are following his instructions," 
replied James. 

"O ; ho ! Camfield has been out there has he," exclaimed 
the obliging tile man. "That's all right. 1 thought that 
fellow would starve when he came to Brooktown and set 
himself up as a drainage engineer, but farmers are beginning 
to appreciate his work. Fact is, I sold some tile two years 
ago to John Bell ; lives somewhere in your neighborhood, I 
guess ; be didn't put 'em in in any sort o' shape and of course 
they didn't work. Bell has always said since, that tile 
draining is a failure. So it was, in his case, and two others, 
neighbors of his, did the same thing. Now, if all those tile 
had been put in so that they would work, I know i'd sold 
a heap more tile. Camfield is doing a good thing for me as 
well as tor the farmers and himself. You'll find these tile all 
right," continued the voluble gentleman as he proceeded to 
hand the tile into the wagon. "You see they're hard and 
tough ; hear that?" (striking two together), "they ring like a 
bell. They are true, smooth and full size. They won't 
scale, either, when they are left out all winter, and are good 
for a thousand years, wherever you may put them. You al- 
ways should look out for that point and get tile that will 
stand freezing, without chipping off and scaling, for you 
can't always get them in the ground as deep as you would 
like and besides, if they are laid at ordinary depth, the 
ground will get dry enough in winter sometimes, so that 
frost will reach the tile. You don't want a tile to keep scal- 
ing off every time the frost touches it, or in a few years it 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 2$ 

will go down, actually dissolve, then where will your drain 
be?" 

The smoking kilns and rumbling machines seemed to in- 
dicate that Mr. Dennis was doing a good business. He gave 
the boys only perfect tile and said that they were tough 
enough to ride in the wagon all day without any loss from 
breakage. 

As they were about to drive away, Mr. Dennis came out 
of the office saying, "hold on a minute boys ! Here's a little 
book that I'll give you to help you to understand the subject 
of farm drainage and to keep you from making such bad 
mistakes as some have made. I make my new customers a 
preseint of one of these. I reckon if I had given John Bell 
one, I would have made about fifty dollars by it." 

"Many thanks," said the boys. "It would have saved us 
some money, too, if John Bell had not made that mistake 
with his tile and in that way soured him on tile drainage," 
thought George. 

The farm work of the spring had not yet begun. After 
the first warm rain, the weather turned suddenly cold, so 
that little progress was made in preparing the grouud for 
tillage. The roads were far from being good, but by hard 
work and perseverance, the boys finally succeeded in getting 
their supply of tile on the ground, though not all were dis- 
tributed along the line. 

In the meantime, Greorge read carefully the little book 
which Mr. Dennis had given him, and soon mastered its con- 
tents. He began to more fully understand both the theory 
and practice of draining and to get a well defined idea of the 



26 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 

practical details of the work. James looked into the matter 
as well, and became much interested. They agreed that 
they had begun right and that if they could continue as well 
as they had begun, their drainage work would come out all 
right. There were several practical ditchers in the vicinity, 
one or two of which, they expected to employ, knowing that 
they, themselves, would soon be busy with farm work. 

Two men presented themselves one morning, announcing 
that they were experienced ditchers, 

"Can you dig a straight ditch, make a good bottom and 
lay the tile all right ?" asked George. ' 

"Bejabers, we niver had no complaint yit. We put in a 
thousand rods last year. We ditched for alivin' in the ould 
counthry." 

"My ditch is surveyed. Can you work by the survey ?" 

"Bother the survey. We can work better without one. 
But then we can work by it if ye want. We can do anything 
in the ditching line, can't we Mike?" appealing to his comrade^ 

"Work by the day or rod ?" asked George. 

"Thirty cintsa rod, and ye board us." 

"You may try it for half a day, and if you do the work to 
my satisfaction, you may have the job, but if not, I reserve 
the right to turn you off without pay." 

"All right. If we don't suit ye, ye'U be the first one that'h 
complained." 

As George explained the survey and how he wanted the 
work done, the ditchers listened with apparent indifference 
and with an air of superior wisdom, as much as to say, "you 
can't tell us anything about ditching." 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 2/ 

About noon George made his appearance at the ditch to- 
note what progress had been made An abundance of wet, 
black earth was in sight, showing that the sons of Erin had 
not been idle. A glance at the ditch showed that a worm- 
like trench had been dug for a hundred feet; the cord witb 
which they started, having been thrown aside and the tough 
sod cut without special regard to the line as staked out. A 
few tile had been put in position, which upon measurement^ 
George found were not upon the required grade. Tom, the 
"boss," was in the bottom shoveling out, leaving a puddled 
mass of mud behind him instead of a clean, smooth, bottom. 

"How'll that suit ye," said Tom. 

"Not at all, sir," replied George. "Why don't you cut a. 
clean, straight ditch and lay the tile to grade as you agreed 
to?" 

"That's the way we always ditch, and we never had no 
complaint. The water will run if the ditch is crooked. It'll 
get out some way if we only get the tile into the ground. 
O, we're all right," replied this son of the turf. "You're 
stakes here don't cut no figger." 

"Very well, then," said George, "your work is not satisfac- 
tory. You may leave the field." 

With loud protestations and maledictions, the knights of 
the spade departed for other fields where they could ditch 
according to their own notions, and where no complaint 
would be made. Yet they were less capable than those wha 
would willingly employ them and accept as good work thai 
which is faulty in every particular. Such ditchers will not 
learn the difference between good and poor work nor attempt 



28 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 



any improvement until farmers who employ them learn the 
difference themselves and insist on better work. 



CHAPTER Y. 



DRAINAGE BEGUN. 

James did not forget his resolve to investigate the hot bed 
which had so excited his interest at the time of his enter- 
taining conversation with Miss Allen. He had obtained a 
full description of it from her brother and had become well 
-convinced in his own mind that he could make one. His 
mother and sisters, he thought, could look after it during 
the day while he was in the field, and so a good supply of 
plants could be raised, which, if sold at the usual prices, 
•could not fail to bring a nice little sum. There was nothing 
of the kind in the neighborhood and good garden plants for 
transplanting would certainly be sought after. 

Thus he reasoned the matter out, but when the "little 
mother" was consulted she doubted the success of '.he pro- 
ject. "The Aliens," said she, "supply Brooktown with 
plants but we must depend upon the farmers about us for 
our market. They use but a small number of plants and 
usually start them in boxes by the kitchen stove or at some 
sunny window, and so I'm atraid that our sales will be very 
-small. We must remember that circumstances alter cases. 
That which proves profitable to one may not be so to others 
differently situated. But, James, I think we ought to have 
Si good garden, and a small hot bed in which to start our 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 2^ 

own plants, would be a great help. We have two old win- 
dowsash that would cover one large enough for our purpose. 
We had better experiment with that this year. You remem- 
ber that couplet in the old reader : 

Vessels large may venture more, 

But little boats should keep near shore. 

which I think is a good maxim for us." 

James never dissented from his mother's judgment, es- 
pecially when it appeared as sensible as it did in this case. 
He had imbibed the enthusiasm of the Aliens without con- 
sidering the question in all its bearings. A very common 
mistake to youth, and yet it is often what gives snap and 
enterprise to many an undertaking that the more careful 
and conservative would not venture upon. 

With the two windowsash and some old boards Jame& 
made a frame, or box, higher on one side than the other sa 
that the sash when fitted to the top would have sufficient 
slope to turn off the water. The frame thus made was ten 
inches high on the lower side and eighteen inches high on 
the upper side without bottom and so light that it could h& 
stored under cover when not desired for use. Then he 
made a bed of well forked stable manure about two feet 
deep and a foot larger each way than the frame he had 
made. He now placed the frame directly upon the manure 
and filled it to the depth of nine inches with good soil. 
After a few days had elapsed the heat arising from the fer- 
menting of the manure so warmed the soil that the bed was- 
ready for planting. 



30 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 

As James and his mother were seeding the new bed, who 
should walk into the garden but Uncle John. 

"Why, Uncle John, where have you been ? We haven't 
seen you for a long time. Have you been sick ? " exclaimed 
James, so glad to see his old friend that he could hardly 
wait for an answer to the questions he asked in rapid suc- 
oession. 

"No, I've not been sick," replied Uncle John, slowly walk- 
ing around the newly constructed hot bed, as if measuring 
its capacity and expense. "Iv'e been out West lor a few 
weeks looking round. I had a little money to invest and 
thought may be I might strike something good out there, 
tout I didn't see anything that just suited me. There's 
plenty of land there and if a man wanted to buy some and 
wait until the enterprise of other people reached out towards 
it and brings a purchaser, why I guess it will pay. 1 don't 
want to spread my money over so much country and wait 
«o long for an uncertain return. I have made up my mind 
that I can use some of my money on my own farm and 
make it pay me a profit that will suit me better than to buy 
wild lands in the West. If I were young and could take 
my capital with me and work with it, why it might do. I 
want my money and work to help each other ; I have no 
taste for speculating." 

"How are you getting on with the farm business? " asked 
Uncle John, alter delivering his views on money investments. 

"Oh, finely," replied James. "We're going to put a drain 
through the big slough, plow up the old pasture and plant 
it to corn. Eaise staving corn, won't it? " 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 3 1 



''Yes, all it needs is draining and good cultivation. Now 
that I am at home again, you'll see my tracks on the farm 
occasionally," 

After George's failure to get satisfactory work done by 
the traveling ditchers whom he had discharged, he was at a 
loss how to proceed. It was now time to do the early 
spring seeding; and as James had told Uncle John, he 
wanted to plant corn upon the field through which the 
drain was to pass. Was there not a ditcher who could do 
a neat workmanlike job, or had he formed such a high idea 
of what good work was that it could not be attained. From 
the lessons which he had learned from his little manual on 
draining, he thought he understood how important it was 
that every detail should be perfect. 

Two other men made their appearance one morning 
tools in hand, saying that Mr. Camfield had sent them with 
his endorsement and recommendations, which they pro- 
duced. 

"I've discharged one set," said George, "because they per- 
sisted in doing work according to their own ideas instead 
of mine. I want this work done neatly and accurately. 
That is what this survey is for — a guide for the work." 

The men stated that they did not work by guess, but by 
rule and line, and were willing to take the contract on the 
same terms and conditions as their predecessors. 

They accordingly^ began, George remaining for a time to 
witness the work. They first drew a cord near the survey 
stakes and dressed up the ditch already dug until it was 
straight. Then a line was set according to the marks upon 



32 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 



the stakes so that the bottom could be accurately graded. 
They then proceeded cutting a clean, straight ditch, throw- 
ing the soil on one side and the clay on the other. The 
"boss" cleaned the bottom of the ditch without placing his 
feet in it, so that in this firm clay the floor of the ditch was 
left clean and smooth. 

At night when George made his appearance to inspect the 
work he found about two hundred and fifty feet of drain 
laid, but still uncovered, the tile showing their red heads? 
so to speak ; all in perfect line and dress like trained sol- 
diery. A stream of muddy water was flowing steadily from 
the outlet, and gurgling down the bank into the larger and 
clearer stream. 

"Tile can be laid right," soliloquized George. "My idea 
can be reached; theory can be put into practice." 

"That work is all right, Anthony," said he to the boss. 
"I see that you are holding the water back in the old chan- 
nel by means of that sod dam. How would it do to open 
up to-night and let the water pass off" through and over this 

line of tile." 

"I had better blind them with about four inches of clay 
first," replied Anthony. "If I do not the water will raise 
the tile and they will not all settle back in position; 
but if I blind them and plug the upper end the water may 
flow down over the top without injury, for it will soon set- 
tle away and pass off" through the drain." 

The work proceeded satisfactorily for several days. The 
ditch was completed each day as far as it was opened, so 
there was no risk from injury by rains which might occur 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 33 

during the night. As is usually the case with such land, 
the wet slough, with some adjoining land, had been fenced 
and used tor a general pasture, or perhaps, more strictly 
speaking, for a range, as the grass had nearly all been 
tramped out and for feeding purposes it was nearly worth- 
less. As the ditch was open through this pasture George 
examined the soil closely, and saw that a few inches of the 
surface appeared tough and waxy, while that below was 
porous. The water could be seen trickling from the sides 
of the newly opened ditch, while upon the surface quite 
near by, the water stood in puddles for several days. 

"How do you account for that?" asked George of Uncle 
John, to whom he pointed out these things. It was no un- 
common sight to see the old gentleman somewhere on the 
Lewis farm a while during each day. 

"O, that is made waxy-like by the cattle and hogs having 
tramped it so much while it was wet. It will be sometime 
before that works up just right. It takes sun and rain and 
tearing up to bring that surface soil into shape. You had 
better leave this lot as long as you can before you plough 
it up, so that the drain can do its best at drawing the 
water off. The soil is so rich that the corn will grow and 
get ripe, if you don't plant it very early. Don't stir the 
soil while it is wet." 

"Don't stir the soil while it is wet," thought George. 
Had he not done that in the seeding of his oats which he 
had just finished? Was it not what all of his neighbors 
were doing every day? Was it possible that farmers o 
this black, mucky soil would ever be able to obey Uncle 



34 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 



John's injunction? Yet George now remembered having 
read in the "Farmer" somethiDg about the evils arising 
from working the soil while it was wet, "Guess we must 
do it, or else drain," was the conclusion to which George 
was forced. 



CHAPTEK VI. 



MR. CAMFIELD S NOTIONS ABOUT DITCHES. 

How quickly time appears to fly when mind and hands 
are busily employed with interesting work. It seemed but 
a short time to the Lewis family since that evening when 
they had discussed among themselves whether they should 
abandon the farm or take their chances of success for an- 
other year or two. 

It was now in the following month of August. The hay 
and grain crop had been harvested, but not without much 
hard work and some vexations, in which the ingenuity and 
skill of James had not come amiss. The corn was develop- 
ing ears that promised a good harvest. The thrift and 
good judgment of the "little mother" in connection with 
the energy and faithfulness of the children had contributed 
very largely to the success of the summer's work. The 
garden and poultry yard had been managed by herself and 
the two girls and had supplied the table with wholesome 
food ; while the surplus of the poultry yard and dairy pur- 
chased the necessary groceries for family use. The experi- 
mental hot bed had proved a success in that they had early 
vegetables two weeks in advance of their neighbors, which, 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 35 



aside from being a luxury, took the place of more costly 
food. 

The amount saved in the living expense of a family by tie- 
products of a well cared for garden is not fully appreciated' 
until that family is deprived of that important accessory. 
Mrs. Lewis, who had lived in the city and provided those 
things from her purse, understood and appreciated this 
difference between city and country. As the reader may 
have already surmised, there was not a great deal of time- 
and attention given to house-keeping. Plain wholesome 
living was all that had been attempted. As time had per- 
mitted, James had added repairs and conveniences to the- 
house and barn, while George had maintained a look of 
neatness and thrift by the timely use of the scythe and hoe 
in clipping the grass and cleaning of the fence corners. 

The main object, however, had been to make the most 
out of the farm crops. Oats and rye had done well witlb 
the exception of about one-fourth of the land seeded, whicb 
because of its wet condition had yielded but little, thereby- 
cutting down the average yield and as the boys thought,, 
the profits of the crop. The hay crop was similar with 
respect to its productiveness, while about twenty aCres of 
the farm was entirely waste land, no attempt being made to 
cultivate it. 

The pride of the farm was the corn field on the drained 
pasture lot. The drain had been completed as far as con- 
templated, and the field left as long as possible before it wa& 
ploughed and prepared for the crop. The fact that the sod 
had previously been nearly tramped out of existence made 



^6 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 

the breaking and cultivation of the field much easier and 
^he growth of the crop more uniform than it otherwise 
nvould have been. George had ploughed the rough wild sod 
lat the upper end of the drain which passed without the 
pasture and found that it was so rough and raw that he 
seeded it to Hungarian. Like a careful agriculturist as he 
was attempting to be, he made a note of this. He saw that 
^ild slough sod land, newly drained and broken in the 
spring was not suited for the growth of corn which requires 
;a well prepared soil full of available plant food. 

"Fine crop of corn that," remarked Uncle John to Mr. 
Bell as the two neighbors chanced to meet at the road cul- 
'vert which commanded a good view of the field under con- 
■sideration. "Guess that will yield seventy-five bushels 
straight through if nothing happens to it before it ripens." 

" Yes, it is fair," observed the neighbor, knocking the 
:ashes out of his pipe and proceeding to refill that important 
piece of personal property. "But then that is a rich piece 
of ground, been in pasture a number of years, you know, 
l^esides this has been a favorable season — not very wet, you 
know ; shouldn't wonder if the boys would have got about 
as good corn if they had left that tile out." 

Uncle John shook his head. "Yes, that is a good piece of 
land and so is the rest of the farm, but it won't amount to 
much without drainin'. The boys have corn in the back 
part of the farm which I don't think will bring more than 
thirty bushels an acre and 1 know that they gave it as 
anuch care as they did this field, so there's 45 bushels an 
a,cre difference which I put down principally to the credit 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 37 



of that tile drain. I tell you, neighbor, it pays on land like- 
that." 

"Well, I dun no, we'll wait till the corn is cribbed. Thia 
may not turn out as well as it looks." 

"I see you have broken up that patch the boys drained , 
for you," said Uncle John, turning and looking on the op- 
posite side of the road. 

"Yes, thought I would plough it up, it seemed pretty 
dry, and as my boys were out of work one day I told them, 
they might try their plows on it, maybe it would pay and 
maybe not. My boys call it the Lewis patch. I go on the 
'cut and try' rule, if that patch turns out any good I'll make 
it right with the boys about the drainin'." 

It may be somewhat surprising to many who read this 
account that one line of tile through this slough should have 
made such change in this field, for it is often thought neces- 
sary to put drains in much more frequently in order to se- 
cure such drainage as is here described. The explanation 
lies in the nature of the soil and subsoil and in the slope of 
the surface. Much of the flat prairie land has a porous 
structure, so that if the water is removed from a low place ; 
as for instance, a pond or slough, the resistance of the soil 
is so slight that drainage water from some distance either 
side readily flows through the soil towards such depressions^ 
sometimes favorably affecting land twenty rods distant 
from the drain. This state of things, of course, necessitates 
the use of large tile. If. as is sometimes the case, the soil 
becomes a little too wet from want of more thorough drain- 
age, the Illinois farmer is content to wait a day or two for 



HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 



the land to resume its desired condition rather than incur 
the expense of more frequent drainage. 

The contrast between the drained and the undrained 
fields increased the desire of the Lewis boys to continue 
their drainage work. They counted up the probable 
proceeds from the year's work and concluded that they 
<i0uld continue their main drain a little farther and supple- 
ment it with some branch lines, the whole involving an ex- 
pense of another hundred dollars. Accordingly Mr. Cam- 
iield was again called, preparatory to more drainage. 

"I am greatly obliged to you, Mr. Camfield," said George, 
for sending me such excellent workmen ; " and he related 
his experience with the two sets of men. 

"The ditching business is like every other," said the sur- 
veyor. "There are all grades of workmen engaged in it, 
each one thinking his services worth as much as the best, 
and acknowledge no equal in point of excellent work. And 
yet tile ditching is work that requires skill as well as strength, 
nad deserves good remuneration when well done. Those 
who do not do good work should be kept out of the field. 
But I suppose that no amount of lecturing will help the 
matter any, for many farmers who employ ditchers must 
learn what good work is by deaf experience. The persist- 
ence with which the average ditcher insists that he is doing 
the best possible work is generally sufficient to persuade 
his employer that he is, indeed, a model ditcher and tile 
layer, and yet the farmer may be as surely humbugged as 
he is when within the clutches of the oily-tongued lightning 
a*od man. Ditching machines are being introduced in some 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 39 



lo(jalitie8 with acknowledged success, the eftect of which 
will be, I think, to lessen the number of incompetent ditch- 
ers and secure to the farming community a better class of 
work. I sometimes think," continued he as he proceeded 
to set up his instrument, preparatory to taking some levels, 
^'that what the facetious Barnum says about all men is cer- 
tainly true about farmers — they like to be humbugged; but 
then people tell me that I look through a glass all the time 
and see things differently from other folks, so you must 
make due allowance for my erratic views." 

The Brooktown tile factory was again visited by the boys 
for their supply of tile for fall use. 

"Seven-inch tile with which to continue our main," an- 
nounced George as the affable Mr. Dennis made his appear- 
ance. 

"More tile is it? I thought you would be back again. 
This way," said he leading the way to the tile yard. •'! 
never knew a man in this country who began right with 
his draining who didn't continue until he got his land pretty 
well drained out. It beats all, the way a little thing spoils 

the sale of tile. There was Jacob Bass over near H who 

bought some of their tile and left them out all winter. I 
suppose I ought not to tell this but it's a fact, nevertheless, 
that those tile actually melted. In the spring there were 
not ten out of a hundred that were worth using. Bass 

wouldn't buy another tile at H , and I can't prevail upon 

him to buy of me, though I tell him that for every tile that 
fails I'll give him a hundred. 'It's no use,' he says, 'can't 
risk any more money in tile.' " 



40 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 

"How do you ina,nage to sell so many tile ? " asked George, 
"You seem to dispose of more than any other dealer for 
miles around." 

*'I have only two maxims. I teach farmers in every way 
I can how to use them so as to get their best results, and 
then sell them a tile that I know is perfect in every respect. 
This is my only business card. There is a pile of tile over 
there that is poorly burned. I've had twenty chances to 
sell them at a little discount but I will not let one of them 
go, because they are a poor article. There is too much risk 
in their use. I'll burn some of the best over again and the 
rest I'll break up — put them where they won't tempt any 
body." 

The boys thus far had been fortunate in their agricultural 
teachers. There is one advantage which the student of ag- 
ricultural books has over the illiterate and that is, he is able 
to recognize that which is sound in the practice about him 
and also in the counsel of those with whom he comes in con- 
tact. The details given in those books may not always be 
such as can be followed minutely in every case,, but the 
principles are correct, and so the learner is able to draw the 
line in the practice about him and say, '^This looks reasona- 
ble because it conforms to correct principles; that must be 
discarded because it is not in accordance with those princi- 
ples. 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 4B 



CHAPTER VII. 



A SERIOUS DIFFICULTY ENCOUNTERED 

George secured the same ditchers who had served him so- 
well the spring before, amd the work proceeded with the 
old time care and thoroughness. It may be asked why the- 
boys did not do the work themselves, instead of employing 
professional diggers. This they had, in fact, intended to do^ 
but after trying tl^p work half a day found that they did 
not have the skill or strength to continue the work profita- 
bly. One man trained to the work would do more in a day 
than both of them; besides as the "little mother" counciled 
them, the regular farm work was enough to occupy their 
whole time and was also more adapted to their strength. 
While the farmer may not always be able to perform, either 
in whole or in part, the work which is necessary to be done,. 
yet he may and should know how it should be done, and 
when it is well done. 

The work was carried on with less difficulty and expense- 
than in the spring. The road was now good for hauling 
tile from the factory to the farm, the ground in the field was- 
firm enough so that the tile could be distributed in place 
without extra handling. The soil was in better condition 
for digging and the filling in of the ditches was much easier 
and more rapidly done. The survey did away with the 
necessity of having water to grade by. 

The enterprise of the boys had attracted some attention 
from the neighboring farmers. The success of the drained 



42 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 



slough had excited the curiosity ol some of the inquisitive 
ones, so that it was not an uncommon occurrence to see 
other neighbors besides Uncle John watching the operations 
on the Lewis farm. One was Caleb Ewing, a man formerly 
from New York State, but now owning a 160-acre farm 
only a half a mile away. He had spent four years on the 
Illinois farm and was known as an intelligent Yankee who 
adhered quite closely to his Eastern notions and practices. 

This gentleman made his appearance one afternoon just 
as the men were finishing one of the«side drains in which 
4 inch tile had been used. 

"I must say," said he, addressing Anthony, the boss 
ditcher, "that you do ditching here differently from what 
they do back East. I have known every since 1 came 
West that this land ought to be drained but to do it the 
way they do East makes it so expensive that I did not dare 
try it. They put their drains about forty feet apart all 
over the field. That means the investment of some money 
when a man has 160 acres. I haven't planted a single tile 
jet." 

"There's a power o' difference between ditching here and 
in New York," said Anthony; "I worked there before I 
•came to Illinois. This soil is more porous than that and 
•digs a sight easier, too. They don't use so big tile back 
there. The water don't seem to get out of the soil as fast 
as it does out of this. 

"1 never knew of ditches being staked out by a surveyor," 
«aid Mr. Ewing, "they would think that was all foolishness." 

"They always had plenty of fall where I worked," replied 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 43 

AnlhoDy. "I put in some drains for one of the best far- 
mers back East, who used to say to me, 'Anthony dig your 
ditch from beginning to end when there is water in the 
ground and if you get the bottom so that the water forms a 
good current all the way, put your tile in and I'll ritk it,' 
but then a forty- acre lot is the largest field 1 ever saw 
drained till I came West, The first job I did after I came 
West was some ditching for a man who worked according to 
eastern plans, and it was allmost a failure too. He used a 
four-inch-tile for the main to drain thirty-eight acres. He 
bad no survey made and though I did as well as I could, 
I've always been ashamed of that job. I don't ditch any- 
where now unless 1 have a survey to guide me." 

"Are these all of the tools you use? " asked Mr. Ewing, 
looking about and seeing only a few. 

''Yes, a ditching spade, tile spade, each twenty inches 
long, a round pointed shovel, a cleaning hoe, a line, a meas- 
uring guage and hatchet. For large tile I use only one of 
the spades, the ditching spade. I get the best tools and 
keep them in first- class condition. Some men leave their 
spades out in the weather all through the digging season, 
but I find that I can make twenty-five cents a day more by 
simply keeping my spades in good shape; can do more 
work and do it easier, you see." 

"Just so. Well, I've found that we can't farm the same 
way we did in York State. When I first came here I 
thought I could raise good wheat on my farm but I soon 
found that wheat culture was a failure. Some told me that 
the soil was too light, and some said that it was too wet, all 



44 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 

I know is that I didn't get any wheat. I'll look around 
again before long," said Mr. Ewing, as he walked away. 

A few days after this our ditchers appeared to be in 
trouble. They ate their supper one night without offerings 
any comments on the progress of their work, which was 
contrary to their usual custom. In answer to James' ques- 
tion about the work Anthony replied that they had not got 
very much done that afternoon, as they were digging in the 
6 ft. cut. At dinner the next day they looked more troubled 
and dejected than ever. 

"George, I guess we're beat," announced Anthony at the 
close of the meal. 

"AVhat's the matter," said George, "I thought you never 
had any trouble with ditch work." 

' We've got a bad case on hand now sure. We are work- 
ing in that 6-ft. cut and have struck quick-sand. We can 
dig the ditch all right till we come to the last foot of depth, 
and then the sides cave in as fast as we shovel it out. The 
few tile we have laid are full of dirt and sand. It runs in 
at the joints like water and when once there the water 
slowly seeps away and leaves the drain full of solid material. 
We've worked at it more than a day now, the best we know 
how, and can't make any headway." 

"That is certainly a bad case," said George, and they all 
started for the unfortunate drain. 

The ditch was being made to drain a troublesome and 
worthless pond, in order to reach which it must be dug six 
feet deep for a short distance. When they arrived at the 
ditch they found a discouraging state of things. The work- 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 45 

men protested that they could do nothing with it. They 
had not given it up until they were obliged to. ft was a 
waste of work to do anything more there. 
/ "Then take another ditch," said George, at a loss to know 
what other course to pursue. 

He looked at it farther. Instead of the usual pliable clay 
found at the bottom of the other ditches, here was an un- 
stable, shaking mass, called by the ditchers, quick-sand. 
To abandon this drain would seriously interfere with the 
plans for drainage the farm, ff the drain could be put 
through four acres could be reclaimed at very little expense. 
Who could help him out of this difficulty? Could not Mr. 
Allen help him? He had often given him valuable advice 
from his experience. The idea at last came to him, that 
Mr. Camfleld was just the man to tell him how to treat this 
case. "Yes," soliloquized George, "before I waste anything 
experimenting with this ditch, f '11 get Camfield to look at it 
and know what he advises about it. He must have seen 
such cases before." James was accordingly dispatched for 
the engineer. 

ft was three days before Mr. Camfield came to examine 
the ditch. After looking the matter over and listening to 
the account of the difficulty as given by the ditchers, our 
surveyor said : 

"This troublesome material cannot be called quick-sand. 
There is no sand in it. ft is a very fine clay; so entirely 
filled with water that it behaves like quick-sand. Look at 
this," taking up one of the tile that had been in the ditch 
three days, "the water has oozed away leaving the clay 



46 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 



quite firm inside of the tile. You see that if the water can 
be drawn away from the mass it will become firm clay." 

With the help of Anthony and some of his assistants some 
of the tile were taken up and cleaned, then filled with hay 
and pressed in to fill the space, 

''Now," said Mr. Camfield, "I think if you will wait three 
or four weeks you will be able to lay the line of tile as you 
wish. This clay water moves almost as easily as clear 
water. The course hay in and about the tile will serve as a 
filter, so that the water will pass away leaving the clay be- 
hind. Of course the clay will fill the spaces in the hay but 
it will not become so solid as if the hay were not there. The 
object is to drain this underground pond so as to leave the 
clay firm enough to work. We have now tapped it at one 
side so that after a time our object will be accomplished. 
When the tile are once laid and left clean, the clay will re- 
main firm about the tile and no further trouble need be 
feared. 

"But what makes the difference between this clay and the 
others we have dug through ? " asked George. "Last spring 
we dug in soil and clay that was saturated with water, yet 
when it became mixed up by working and was permitted to 
remain quiet, the soil settled to the bottom and the water 
passed off clear." 

"The principle difference is in the fineness of the particles," 
said the engineer. "Our soil and subsoil, as we usually find 
them consist of grains of greater or less size. If we should 
grind these until they become as fine as the particles com- 
posing this clay, and then saturate with water, the mixture 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 4/ 

would act very much like this one that is giving us so much 
trouble." 

This was a phase of the subject that George had not looked 
into. The natural texture of different soils and the way 
they behave under varying quantities of water is a subject 
upon which few, even successful land drainers, have made 
observations and yet it is a most interesting subject for in- 
vestigation. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



CONCLUSION. 

Mrs. Lewis was secretly not a little proud of her two boys^ 
not so much on account of their successful work so far, but 
because of their steady persistence, and sensible view of 
things. James whom she feared would prove fickle, and 
perhaps a little wild, was developing a steadiness of pur- 
pose that was most gratifying. The isolation from city 
associates, and necessity for constant work, accompanied 
with personal responsibility, had a most wholesome effect 
upon the whole family. The girls soon found that the coun- 
try school was by no means a bad place to get an education ^ 
while the country life and work captivated them by its nov- 
elty, and they were soon as interested as the boys. 

The drainage work laid out for the present year was com- 
pleted about November first. After all the ditching had 
been done except the previously abandonded 6 ft. cut, An- 
thony was persuded to again try the neglected drain. 



48 HOW THE LEWIS BOYS 

Much to his surprise he found the clay firm enough at the 
bottom to be self-sustaining. The tile that was filled with 
hay and mud were taken up, cleaned and laid to grade, and 
the remainder of the ditch dug without difficulty. This 
opened up the four-acre pond lot, which by the use of sev- 
•eral branches of 3-inch tile, was reclaimed from the domin- 
ion of the frogs. James plowed all of the waste land as 
«oon as the drains were completed, thereby leaving the 
heretofore unconqured soil ready for the action of winter 
frosts and storms. The drainage now done on the farm has 
reclaimed about twenty acres of land and benefitted twenty 
^cres more. The interest upon the debt had been paid and 
<xeorge had confidentially told his mother that by another 
fall he thought that they could pay a part of the principal 
since one-half of the farm was now in condition to produce 
a paying crop. 

The husking of the pasture lot corn field began and pro- 
■ceeded with the dispatch and drive usually seen during the 
fall of the year on Illinois corn farms. The field had ma- 
tured its grain usually well, and as the husking drew near its 
«nd, the score which James was keeping showed that the 
yield would be eighty bushels per acre instead of seventy- 
five as had been guessed by Uncle John earlier in the 
eeason. 

Neighbor Bell was not blind to what was going on^ 
though he kept his opinion to himself. He saw load after 
load of corn drawn from the field and shoveled into the pleth- 
oric crib by the barn. He walked over the "Lewis patch" 
on his own side of the road, which, after lying fallow all 



MADE THE FARM PAY. 49 



eummer had been plowed, and now was in excellent con- 
dition for next year's crop. 

"This drainage business is a good thing, and no mistake," 
thought he. "1 suppose that I didn't get mj tile put in 
right, some way, which is the reason that they were no 
good, I'll take 'em up next spring and see if I can't do 
better next time. Suppose the Lewis boys don't know th at 
1 planted tile before they ever thought of doing it. Let's 
see ! Guess that I can pay the boys about half the cost of 
that drain on my land. Yes that's fair. About twenty dol- 
lars. I'll call that ten dollars on my share of the expense, 
and ten dollars for the lesson. Pretty dear lesson, that, I'll 
be bound," and he puffed away at his clay pipe energetically, 
as he compared the yield of his own cornfield with that ot the 
Lewis pasture lot. 

Not long after this, the Lewis. family were surprised at 
receiving a friendly evening call from Mr. Bell. He chatted 
with them about the late election news and the various 
neighborhood happenings and as he arose to go he said, as 
if suddenly recollecting something : *'Ey the way, boys, 
I've never paid you my share of that drain expense. Here 
are twenty dollars. I've always intended to pay it but have 
neglected it until now." Without waiting for a reply he 
opened the door and went out. 

The boys were surprised enough. 

"Some people talk worse than they act," said Mrs. Lewis. 

"Another convert to tile drainage," observed James. 

The winter came on with its usual rigors, bringing its 
distinctive duties to the farmer boys. George had a fine 



50 II )\V THE LKVVIS BOV S 



lot of hogs which he was fattening for the mid-winter mar- 
ket. James was planning to build a new wood-house which 
should have a work-shop department. Both spent the eve- 
nings in useful study or entertaining reading, thus keeping 
hand and head usefully employed. They had purchased a 
few of the books recommended at the Farmers' Institute the 
winter before, and were now widening their field of knowl- 
edge. With these books in the house the loafing depart- 
ment of the village store had no attraction for them. 

We may but briefly review the work of the i:ext year. 
The Lewises decided not to drain any more of the farm un- 
til the next fall. They had used all their money paying for 
the draining already done, and, besides, bad found that 
draining in the fall was less expensive. 

With the experience of the preceding year the boys felt 
themselves quite capable of managing the farm, as now im- 
proved, in such a way as to make a considerable payment on 
the farm debt that year ; and so directed their efforts in that 
direction. They noticed that their drained fields were always 
in good shape for working; that every change in the tempera- 
ture or additional rain did not produce a corresponding 
change in the growth of the crops, and that there was no lost 
time and strength in cultivating. 

Neighbors Bell and Ewing each began to drain their 
farms, following the examples of the Lewis boys in attempt- 
ing to begin right and work carefully. The boys were last 
demonstrating that they were worthy of a place among the 
best farmers of the neighborhood. They were no longer 
commisserated on account of their greenness and expected 



M A L) E '1- H K F A K M PAY. 5 I 



failure in farming, bat looked up to as rising agriculturists 
and worthy of "honorable mention." 

Our girls, Kellie and Alice, had decided that there was 
more profit in poultry management than in any of the work 
which they and their mother had tried the year before, so it 

was arranged that JSTellie should have special care of the 
poultry, while Alice and her mother should care for house 
and garden, assisted when necessary by James, who stood 
ready to give a hand in garden, field or work shop. Thus 
the work was systematized, each department having a su- 
pervision, but all working together harmoniously. 

Let us look in upon the family at the end of another two 
years : It is now four years since the time of the family 
consultation mentioned in our first chapter. The achieve- 
ments of the last two years have been no less interesting 
than those already described. The labor and care bestowed 
upon the farm had given abundant returns. The season 
which had just closed had been the most satisfactory of all 
to the boys, for the reason that the drainage of the farm had 
been completed the year before, and they were able for the 
first time to cultivate the whole farm. It was also a satis- 
faction to know that the draining had been well done as 
was proven by its perfect success during the past year. 
They were able to make meadow and pasture without 
having sloughs and ponds dictate where they should be 
made, as had before been the case. Geoi'ge's" account of the 
expense showed that nearly five hundred dollars had been 
expended in the drainage of the farm, but having been 

distributed over a period of three years the expense had 
not seemed heavy. 



52 HOW THE LEWIS BOVS 

If, in looking about, we should see fit to compare the 
present appearance of the homestead with that of four years 
ago, we should not fail to find a pleasing difference. Not 
that there was evidence of the expenditure of much money in 
beautifying, but the place had an air of comfort which is the 
result ol care and attention, in the absence of which the 
most costly residence looks dreary. 

Nellie, having a decided taste lor natural history and 
botany, had acquired a great deal of practical knowledge c 
these subjects, and was expecting to spepd the next year 
study at the State University. It may be said here ti- 
the amount of knowledge acquired, and the solid study &^ 
companied by practical work done by the boys and thei 
sisters during the last four years, was of more value to thenc 
than the usual college course would have been. It may be 
said also, that not all have the will and desire to make ac- 
quisitions of this kind in this way. 

The "little mother" was thankful that the resolution made 
four years ago had been dictated by the Lord, who has 
promised to care for the widow and fatherless. While hard 
work and no little care had fallen to her lot, she had noth- 
ing to complain of. The money with which to make the 
last payment upon the farm debt was in the bank awaiting 
the maturity of the note. The farm was well stocked 
drained and very productive. Her children with all c 
their substantial accomplishments, were still filial and obe 
dient to the dictates of her best judgment. 

"We will not attempt to farther follow the fortunes of the 
Lewis family, though the way in which the boys continued 



MADE THE FARM PAV 53 

to manage the farm would doubtless be interesting to many 
readers. This is but one of the many examples of success- 
ful farm drainage that might be cited for the instruction and 
encouragement of farmers similarly situated. Many farm- 
ers seek unimproved lands in the West, leaving farms be- 
hind them from which, were they to imitate the energ}' 
displayed by the Lewis boys, they would get better returns 
for their work and capital than they expect to receive else- 
where. Many farmers are living on land, barely existing, 
we might more properly say, which is too wet for profit or 
ealth. To such we say, try draining. Investigate this 
. xtter closely. Get the experience and advice of others and 
caen go to work. There is both health and wealth in it if 
sound judgment and care are exercised from the beginning 
througout the work. 



